Gate latch



rares* WESLEY. HULL, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 293,253, dated February 12, 1584. Application vfiled January 17, V1853. (Modell To @ZZ whom, it may 0011/067170):

Be it known that I, WnsLnY HULL, of Fort Vayne, in the county` of Allen and State oi Indiana, have invented a ,new and useful Improvement in Gate-Latches, which is fully` set i'orth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of gate latches which act by means of their own gravitation; and it consists in the construction of' a latch-bar formed of a horizontal and a vertical bar, the upper end of which terminates in two diverging arms, each curving out at their upper en d, forming a semicircular projecting head on the outside, upon which the latch is suspended on concave bearings in the lower portion of a chamber, also acting as a guide to said heads and forming the upper portion of the cap, the lower portion of which also covers the central part ofthe horizontal bar and guides it. The ends of the latch extend out beyondsaid cap suflicient for either end to enter the catch upon thegate-post, while the other end extends beyond the frame of the gate, and is accessible from either side to unlatch it, all of which will hereinafter be more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings like letters represent like parts in the different figures.

Figure l is an elevation of the latch, showing the parts in position as when the gate is closed. Fig. 2 represents the parts in unlatched position in full lines and in latched position in dotted lines, parts of the case being broken away. Fig.l 3 is a rearelevation of the case and latch. lFig. 4 represents the back plate, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the catch.

In the annexed drawings, K represents the catch; I, the incline on its front; P, a section of the gatepost to which it is attached; L, the latch-bar, and C the cap, as seen in Fig. l, at-

tached to a section of the frame of the gate.'

Said 1atch-bar consists of a horizontal or cross bar,I, the ends of which curve down and extend out beyondeach side of capCsuflicient for either endto enter catch K, while the other end extends out in an opposite direction suftlcient to form a convenient hold by means of which to unlatch the gate, being easy of access from either side of it, as shown in Fig. l. From the center of said horizontal bar extends .up the vertical bar V, having two diverging arms l curving out and terminating in a projecting by means of which the latch L is suspended between cap C and back plate, E, upon projecting concave bearings G G within chamber U, formed by rim It, surrounding` the upper portion of said cap, which is so shaped as to form a guide for the semicircular heads S S,

the latch-bar is thrown aside from either side in passing over the incline I of catch K, as in the act of closing the gate, when the semicircular head next the catch will revolve in its bearing G, while the opposite head will move up the opposite side ofthe chamber, guided by the inside of rim R, forming the wall of the chamber, until the end of the latch bar T reaches the base of the incline I of the catch and is arrested in its motion by stop-base D, as shown in Fig. 2, when it will drop into the catch, as shown in Fig. l, carrying back the elevated head to its respective bearing, as seen in Fig. 3, both headsbeing an equal distance from the center of the vertical. bar.` Therefore, when either side is elevated, it carries up the greater portion ofthe weight of the latch, causing it to act more promptly and bring it sooner to rest, and be less liable to swing out of the catch than when pivoted in the centenas usual heretofore. As latches suspended on pins and operating in grooves were liable to be obstructed by rust accumu` lating on the pins and in the grooves, or by j apanning used to protect them from oxidation, therefore I use a plain chamber and suspend my latch on semicircular heads, thus completely overcoming the objection to pins and grooves, thereby increasing its efficiency and utility. Both sides of the latch and cap being alike and the catch reversible, it is adapted to either right or left hand gates, if properly attached. The wide incline ofthe catch and inclined ends of the latch-bar will give ample range for the swelling and shrinking of the gate, and the long catch provides for the gate to sag.

I do not confine myself to particular form of cross-bar and vertical bar, nor to the particular shape of the arms or heads. The cross-bar and vertical bar can' both be made plain and at right angles with each other, and the heads flat, and also the bearings on which they rest.

semicircular head,` S, 011 the outside of each,

as seen in Fig. 3, in such a manner that when IOO Neither do I conne myself to the particular shape of the cap and the back plate, as both may be made widest where the cross-bar or horizontal bar crosses and operates. This forni I expect to adopt. A bolt or rivet is intended to pass through between the diverging arms of latch and through the small orifice in the cap and back plate, connecting them together-,with the latch between them, for convenience of attaching to the gate.

A portion ofthe Within-named invention was included in my rejected application iiled May 3l, 1882, and I desire it included in this, eX- c epting` the use of grooves and pins, which are dispensed with and the Within substituted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a-pendent gate-latch, the case having a I chamber `With interior bearings and open bottom for the reception of the latch, in combination with two diverging' arms, each of which curves out an equal distance from the 

